Question 1

What is the main message of this passage about Jesus rising from the dead?

Accepted Answer

This passage shows that Jesus really rose from the dead, just as he said he would. The women come expecting to find his body, but instead they meet an angel who tells them the tomb is empty because Jesus is alive. The stone is rolled away, not to let Jesus out, but to let people see that he is already risen. Then Jesus himself meets the women, comforts them, and sends them to tell the disciples. The message is that death has been defeated and God has kept his promise.

Question 2

Why did the angel tell the women, “Fear not ye”?

Accepted Answer

The whole scene was frightening: a great earthquake, a shining angel, and guards shaking with terror and falling like dead men. The angel knows the women are afraid, but he also knows why they are there. They are seeking Jesus, who was crucified, out of love and devotion. So the angel draws a line between the guards’ terror and the women’s faith. He tells them not to fear, because this message is good news for them. Those who seek Jesus do not need to be afraid of God’s power.

Question 3

What is the significance of the empty tomb and the stone rolled away?

Accepted Answer

The empty tomb shows that Jesus truly rose from the dead and did not stay in the grave. The angel rolls back the stone and sits on it, which pictures God’s power over death and every barrier. The stone was not removed so Jesus could escape, but so the women and later others could see with their own eyes that the place where he lay is now empty. It is like a visible sign that the grave has lost its hold, and that Jesus’ work to deal with sin and death is complete.

Question 4

Why did Jesus first appear to the women and send them to the disciples?

Accepted Answer

In this passage the women are the first to hear the angel’s message and the first to meet the risen Jesus. They had stayed close to him in his death and came early to the tomb, showing love and loyalty even when they did not yet understand everything he had said about rising again. Jesus honors them by meeting them, letting them hold his feet, and trusting them with the message for the disciples. This shows that God often uses those the world might overlook and gives them an honored place in his plans.

Question 5

What does it mean that the women felt “fear and great joy”?

Accepted Answer

Their hearts are pulled in two directions at once. On one hand, they are shaken by what they have seen: an earthquake, an angel, and news that a dead man is now alive. On the other hand, they are filled with joy because this dead man is their Lord, and he has kept his word. Fear here is not just terror; it is a sense of God’s greatness. Joy comes from knowing that Jesus lives. Many believers know this mix when God’s work feels overwhelming but also deeply good.

Question 6

Why did Jesus tell the women to tell his disciples, “go into Galilee; there shall ye see me”?

Accepted Answer

Jesus does not only want the disciples to hear a report that he is alive; he wants them to see him for themselves. Galilee is where much of his ministry with them took place, so meeting there would remind them of all he taught and did with them. By sending this message, Jesus is preparing them for a fuller meeting that will confirm their faith and lead into their future work. It shows that the resurrection is not the end of the story, but the start of a new chapter in their calling.

Question 7

What does this passage teach about God’s power over death?

Accepted Answer

This passage shows that death could not hold Jesus. An earthquake, an angel with a face like lightning, and the stone rolled away all point to God stepping in with great power. But the heart of it is the simple line, “He is not here: for he is risen.” Jesus truly died, yet he rose again by the power of God. The guards, strong soldiers, fall down in fear, while Jesus walks out of the grave and greets his followers. It teaches that God’s purpose overcomes death and human opposition.

Question 8

How can believers today respond to this account of the resurrection?

Accepted Answer

Believers can respond much like the women did. They sought Jesus early, listened to the message from heaven, and then obeyed by going quickly to tell others. Even with fear and trembling, they moved forward in faith and joy. Today, this passage invites people to trust that Jesus is alive, to let that truth calm their fears, and to share the good news in simple ways. It also encourages worship, as the women fell at Jesus’ feet, because the risen Jesus is not only teacher and friend, but Lord.

Question 9

Why did the guards shake with fear and become “as dead men”?

Accepted Answer

The guards were trained to face human threats, but they were not ready for an act of God. When the angel appeared in brightness and the earth shook, their strength melted away. Their reaction shows the difference between those who stand against God’s work and those who seek Jesus. The guards are overcome and left helpless, while the women, though afraid, are comforted and trusted with a message. It is a picture of how God’s power exposes human weakness, and how he protects and reassures those who belong to him.

Question 10

What does Jesus calling the disciples “my brethren” show about his heart?

Accepted Answer

The disciples had failed him badly, running away when he was arrested and, in Peter’s case, denying him. Yet when Jesus rises, he does not speak of them as traitors or cowards. He calls them “my brethren.” This shows that his death and resurrection have not cut them off, but have opened the way for restored relationship. He still claims them as his own family. For believers today, this is a warm reminder that Jesus is ready to forgive and welcome back those who have stumbled, and that his love holds firm even after failure.

Matthew 28:1

In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.

The Resurrection

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Matthew 28:1

In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.

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The Resurrection

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